End cap structure for cane/crutch/trekking pole

ABSTRACT

An end cap structure for a cane/crutch/trekking pole includes a main body, an elastic interlayer, and a bottom layer. The elastic interlayer is disposed between the main body and the bottom layer to ensure the structural strength of the end cap. When the user swings the cane/crutch/trekking pole in all directions, the whole underside of the bottom layer is kept in contact with the ground due to the elastic interlayer to ensure that the anti-slip function is not affected, thereby improving the safety of the product when in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an end cap, and more particularly to anend cap structure for a cane/crutch/trekking pole.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Walking canes, crutches and trekking poles are common walking supporttools. In order to ensure the safety of walking, the bottom end of awalking cane/crutch/trekking pole is equipped with an end cap. Theanti-slip design of the end cap is very important. There are various endcaps in the prior art.

Chinese Utility Model Publication No. CN204763788U discloses an end capand a crutch having the same. The crutch includes a crutch body and anend cap mounted to the lower end of the crutch body. The lower endportion of the crutch body is mounted in a receiving hole by aninterference fit. The end cap comprises a support disk and a bracevertically disposed on the upper end surface of the support disk. Theupper end of the brace is provided with a receiving hole extendingaxially along the brace for receiving the lower end portion of thecrutch. The above-mentioned end cap is a one-piece structure. During theuse of the walking cane/crutch/trekking pole, the user often swings thewalking cane/crutch/trekking pole. As a result, the underside of thewhole end cap cannot be in contact with the ground, and the anti-slipfunction is affected, which poses a safety hazard to the use.

Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN108523339A discloses anested double-layer movable end cap for a crutch. The nesteddouble-layer movable end cap includes an inner sleeve and an outersleeve. The inner sleeve is coupled to the crutch, and the outer sleeveis fitted on the inner sleeve. The inner sleeve and the outer sleeve aremade of an elastic material. The crutch is insertedly connected to theinner sleeve. The inner sleeve has a corresponding receiving hole. Theinner sleeve is provided with an annular protrusion. The protrusion islocated at the lower part of the inner sleeve and is connected with theouter sleeve. The outer sleeve is provided with a corresponding reducedopening. The outer sleeve has a cylindrical or other shape. The outersleeve is an integral sleeve and wraps the inner sleeve. When the userswings the crutch, the whole underside of the outer sleeve cannot be incontact with the ground, and the anti-slip function is affected, therebyposing a safety hazard to the use.

Chinese Utility Model Publication No. CN108523339A discloses a crutch.The crutch includes a pole member, a grip and a base. The lower part ofthe pole member is provided with a telescopic rod. The telescopic rod iscomposed of an upper rod, a lower rod and a locking head. The upper endof the upper rod is fixedly connected with a connecting sleeve. Aspring, a first flange disk, a second flange disk and a damping cavityare arranged in the upper rod. A flange is arranged on an upper end ofthe lower rod. A first piston, a second piston and a piston rod arearranged in the damping cavity. A first cavity and a second cavity aredisposed in the damping cavity. The base is composed of an upper seat, alower seat, a flexible connecting neck, and an anti-slip pad. The baseis equivalent to an end cap. The outer diameter of the flexibleconnecting neck is less than that of the upper seat and the lower seat.Obviously, the structural strength is very weak, and there are majorsecurity risks.

In summary, it is necessary to improve the conventional end cap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the drawbacks of the prior art, the primary object of thepresent invention is to provide an end cap structure for acane/crutch/trekking pole, which can effectively solve the problem thatthe anti-slip function and the structural strength of the conventionalend cap are not good.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts thefollowing technical solutions:

An end cap structure for a cane/crutch/trekking pole comprises a mainbody, an elastic interlayer, and a bottom layer. A top end of the mainbody is recessed with a receiving hole. The elastic interlayer isattached and fixed to an underside of the main body. The bottom layer isattached and fixed to an underside of the elastic interlayer.

Preferably, the elastic interlayer is made of an expanded thermoplasticurethane (ETPU) material. The main body, the elastic interlayer and thebottom layer are superposed and fixed together by bonding.

Preferably, the main body and the elastic interlayer are assembled andpositioned with each other through a first protrusion and a firstcavity. The elastic interlayer and the bottom layer are assembled andpositioned with each other through a second protrusion and a secondcavity.

Preferably, an underside of the bottom layer is provided with a convexanti-slip texture.

The present invention has obvious advantages and advantageous effectscompared with the prior art. Specifically, it can be known from theabove technical solutions:

The elastic interlayer is disposed between the main body and the bottomlayer to ensure the structural strength of the end cap. When the userswings the cane/crutch/trekking pole in all directions, the wholeunderside of the bottom layer is kept in contact with the ground due tothe elastic interlayer, so as to ensure that the anti-slip function isnot affected, thereby improving the safety of the product when in useand reducing the occurrence of security risks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a specific structure of a firstembodiment of the present invention comprises a main body 10, an elasticinterlayer 20, and a bottom layer 30.

The top end of the main body 10 is recessed with a receiving hole 11. Inthe embodiment, the main body 10 has a truncated cone shape. The innerbottom surface of the receiving hole 11 is concavely provided with arecess 12 to provide a buffer space, so that the connection of thewalking cane/crutch/trekking pole and the receiving hole 11 is morestable.

The elastic interlayer 20 is attached and fixed to the underside of themain body 10. The bottom layer 30 is attached and fixed to the undersideof the elastic interlayer 20. In this embodiment, both the elasticinterlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 are in the shape of a disk. Theouter diameters of the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 arethe same as the maximum outer diameter of the main body 10. Theunderside of the bottom layer 30 is provided with a convex anti-sliptexture 31.

The main body 10 and the elastic interlayer 20 are assembled andpositioned with each other through a first protrusion 13 and a firstcavity 21. The elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 areassembled and positioned with each other through a second protrusion 32and a second cavity 22. In the embodiment, the underside of the mainbody 10 is provided with the first protrusion 13, the surface of theelastic interlayer 20 is recessed with the first cavity 21, and thefirst protrusion 13 is embedded in the first cavity 21. In thisembodiment, the first protrusion 13 is located at the center of theunderside of the main body 10, and the first cavity 21 is located at thecenter of the surface of the elastic interlayer 20 to function as apositioning, a fulcrum and a connection. Both the height of the firstprotrusion 13 and the depth of the first cavity 21 are 3 mm. Theunderside of the elastic interlayer 20 is recessed with the secondcavity 22. The surface of the bottom layer 30 is provided with thesecond protrusion 32. The second protrusion 32 is embedded in the secondcavity 22. In this embodiment, the second protrusion 32 is located atthe center of the surface of the bottom layer 30, and the second cavity22 is located at the center of the underside of the elastic interlayer20 to function as a positioning, a fulcrum and a connection. Both theheight of the second protrusion 32 and the depth of the second cavity 22are 3 mm. The thickness of the elastic interlayer 20 is 8-10 mm.

In addition, both the main body 10 and the bottom layer 30 are made of athermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material. The elastic interlayer 20 ismade of an expanded thermoplastic urethane (ETPU) material. The mainbody 10, the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 aresuperposed and fixed together by bonding, thereby achieving a stableconnection of the main body 10, the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottomlayer 30.

The use of this embodiment is described as follows:

In use, the lower end of the walking cane/crutch/trekking pole isinserted into the receiving hole 11 to be fixed. During the use of thewalking cane/crutch/trekking pole, the bottom layer 30 is pressedagainst the ground, and the whole underside of the bottom layer 30 is incontact with the ground. The user can swing the walkingcane/crutch/trekking pole in various directions. Due to the arrangementof the elastic interlayer 20, the whole underside of the bottom layer 30is kept in contact with the ground, thereby improving the safety of use.

FIG. 4 shows a specific structure of a second embodiment of the presentinvention. The specific structure of the second embodiment issubstantially similar to the specific structure of the foregoing firstembodiment with the exceptions described hereinafter.

In this embodiment, the first cavity 21 communicates with the secondcavity 22. The first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 32 leansagainst each other to function as a better positioning, a fulcrum and aconnection.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed in detail for purposes of illustration, various modificationsand enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not tobe limited except as by the appended claims.

1: An end cap structure for a cane, comprising: a main body having a topend recessed with a receiving hole; an elastic interlayer attached andfixed to an underside of the main body, wherein the elastic interlayerhas a top cavity recessed from a top planar surface of the elasticinterlayer to receive a protrusion of the main body; and a bottom layerattached and fixed to an underside of the elastic interlayer. 2: The endcap structure of claim 1, wherein the elastic interlayer comprises anexpanded thermoplastic urethane (ETPU) material. 3: The end capstructure of claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the main body protrudesfrom a bottom planar surface of the main body. 4: The end cap structureof claim 1, wherein an underside of the bottom layer is provided with aconvex anti-slip texture. 5: The end cap structure of claim 1, whereinthe elastic interlayer has a bottom cavity recessed from a bottom planarsurface of the elastic interlayer to receive a protrusion of the bottomlayer. 6: The end cap structure of claim 5, wherein the protrusion ofthe bottom layer protrudes from a top planar surface of the bottomlayer. 7: The end cap structure of claim 1, wherein the elasticinterlayer has a sidewall contiguous to a sidewall of the main body. 8:The end cap structure of claim 1, wherein the elastic interlayer has asidewall contiguous to a sidewall of the bottom layer. 9: An end capstructure for a cane, comprising: a main body having a top end recessedwith a receiving hole; an elastic interlayer attached and fixed to anunderside of the main body, wherein the elastic interlayer has a bottomcavity recessed from a bottom planar surface of the elastic interlayer;and a bottom layer attached and fixed to an underside of the elasticinterlayer, wherein the bottom layer has a protrusion to be received inthe bottom cavity of the elastic interlayer. 10: The end cap structureof claim 9, wherein the protrusion of the bottom layer protrudes from atop planar surface of the bottom layer. 11: The end cap structure ofclaim 9, wherein the elastic interlayer has a top cavity receiving aprotrusion of the main body, wherein the protrusion of the main bodyprotrudes from a bottom planar surface of the main body. 12: The end capstructure of claim 9, wherein the elastic interlayer comprises anexpanded thermoplastic urethane (ETPU) material. 13: The end capstructure of claim 9, wherein an underside of the bottom layer isprovided with a convex anti-slip texture. 14: The end cap structure ofclaim 9, wherein the elastic interlayer has a sidewall contiguous to asidewall of the main body. 15: The end cap structure of claim 9, whereinthe elastic interlayer has a sidewall contiguous to a sidewall of thebottom layer. 16: An end cap structure for a cane, comprising: a mainbody having a top end recessed with a receiving hole, wherein the mainbody has a protrusion protruding from a bottom planar surface of themain body; an elastic interlayer attached and fixed to an underside ofthe main body, wherein the elastic interlayer has a top cavity receivingthe protrusion of the main body; and a bottom layer attached and fixedto an underside of the elastic interlayer. 17: The end cap structure ofclaim 16, wherein the elastic interlayer has a bottom cavity receiving aprotrusion of the bottom layer, wherein the protrusion of the bottomlayer protrudes from a top planar surface of the bottom layer. 18: Theend cap structure of claim 16, wherein the elastic interlayer comprisesan expanded thermoplastic urethane (ETPU) material. 19: The end capstructure of claim 16, wherein an underside of the bottom layer isprovided with a convex anti-slip texture. 20: The end cap structure ofclaim 16, wherein the elastic interlayer has a sidewall contiguous to asidewall of the bottom layer.